Under The Mistletoe
by Faith Valconbridge
Summary: Dean teaches a confused Cas a few things about Christmas, Sam intervenes.


Castiel tilted his head in confusion as he arrived at Bobby Singer place. Dean had been praying for him for a few hours and he had only just managed to get away from his brothers. He frowned as he took in his surroundings, for a moment he thought he had flew to the wrong address but he batted that thought away knowing that was extremely improbable. It seemed the hunter had taken up gardening in his absence.

He walked purposefully into the kitchen and looked out the window at the scrap yard, the land was still dry and bare, covered in automobiles and metal parts. This was confusing, he had thought that gardens were grown outside.

"Hello, Dean." He greeted, flying into the study and attracting the man's attention. Dean had been facing the other way and jumped and spun around in fright as Cas landed right behind him. "Mother fucker, Cas! Oh my God, give me a heart attack why don't ya!?" Dean clutched his chest as he glared at the angel. Sam and Bobby raised a beer in Cas' direction as a greeting, both laughing at the expression on Dean's face. "You can't just keep swooping in like that! You'll kill a man!"

"Why would I want to give you a heart attack, Dean? I don't want you to die." Dean tutted and ignored that statement, sending a glare at Bobby and Sam who were attempting to at least act sober. He finally noticed Castiel's confused expression when he realised he was staring at the blinking fairy lights that were circling the windows.

"What's up, Cas? Never seen fairy lights?" He grinned.

"You put fairies into lights?" He asked, sounding genuinely concerned. Sam giggled and then stared at the table interestedly when Dean shot him a look to say 'Don't tease!'.

"No, they're just small lights."

"Oh, well I had a question. I had thought it was human practise to grow shrubbery and flowers outside but Bobby's yard is bare. Why does he grow these here and not make use of his land?" Sam stared at him blankly before dissolving into laughter again; Bobby smiled and tried to hide his amusement by taking a sip of his beer. Dean smiled and gripped the guy's shoulder, steering him into the living room to show him the decorations.

"Come on huggy-bear, I won't be a jackass like those guys." Castiel followed his friend, happy to get an explanation, it seemed Sam and Bobby were inebriated and would make little sense in explaining his questions.

"Am I missing a tradition, Dean?" He guessed, remembering humans did strange things at certain times of the year for celebration.

"Yeah, it's Christmas, you don't celebrate that?" Castiel shook his head no.

"Not in heaven, this will be my first Christ Mass on Earth. I am unfamiliar with this custom, maybe you could teach me?"

"That's okay, at Christmas us humans decorate our houses, it's a big collection of different traditions all smashed together from different beliefs and celebrated on the twenty-fifth of December."

"But it is only the twenty-second today, Dean."

"Well, we decorate all of December and then exchange gifts from our friends on the twenty-fifth."

"So as your friend, I would buy you a gift? I think I understand." He nodded, leaving Dean's side and looking around the room. He walked to the tree and stared confused at the angel on the top and Dean hoped he didn't ask questions about that, it could end up really awkward.

"Yeah, that's right." He agreed, smiling and still drinking his beer.

"I still don't understand why there is a tree in the living room though." He turned back around and stared at Dean waiting for an answer.

"Well, erm, I'm not sure either, Sammy knows more about that origin but it's tradition and you can't question tradition, Cas."

"Tradition, okay." He nodded seriously, hoping he could get the hand of these human behaviours.

"I'm glad you get it, you can come here on the twenty-fifth if we aren't all on the road and have your first Christmas Winchester-Singer style. We normally find something fun to do."

"Thank you, Dean." Castiel was happy, he had been included in the group though he said no more of it, he was pleased to spend any spare time he had with Dean and his little family. He reached over to one of the wreaths but hesitated, he didn't want to ruin the design, someone must have spent time to arrange the plants this way. "What about these plants, Dean?"

"I think that's from pagans." Castiel's eyes widened and he dropped his hands; he turned to look around the room again. Dean thought it was kind of endearing and it showed. He let him admire a few more things and answered his questions the best he could until he decided it was a good idea go back to Bobby and Sam who where far too quiet for his liking. They were just walking through the door of the study when Cas stopped suddenly, causing Dean to crash into the back on him.

"And this, Dean? What about this plant?" Dean looked above them, he gulped, that wasn't there before.

"Sammy!" He yelled, glaring at his brother who was faking his innocence.

"It's tradition, Dean, don't question tradition!" His brother cackled, Bobby conveniently finished his beer and excused himself.

"Oh, it's nothing it's not meant to be here, I don't even know where it came from!" He laughed uncomfortably. Dean tried to push past Cas but he was blocking the doorway and Cas remained oblivious as he tried to push against him to get him to move, it just made Dean's feet slide against the wooden floor. Castiel was reaching up and inspecting the plant that was hanging from the door frame. Sam stood from his chair and walked over looking pleased with himself, his smile wide across his face.

"But what about tradition, Dean?" He asked, winking at him suggestively and then looking at Cas and nodding. "Why don't you tell Cas about it?"

"There is tradition here?" Castiel's attention peaked again and he turned to Dean waiting for an explanation.

"Oh, yeah!" and "No!" Dean and Sam yelled at the same time.

"It's not important, Cas, you don't really need to know about it, I don't know much about it—"

"It's okay, Dean. I can explain it, I don't mind." The other man beamed, his cheeks rosy from the alcohol.

"Sammy! You don't have to, Cas, doesn't need to know this one!" He argued. Realising Dean was not going to tell him, Castiel turned to Sam who seemed happy enough to explain.

"Sam, could you explain this tradition to me? I am sensing some strange feelings from Dean, does he not like this plant? Should I remove it?" He questioned.

"Nooooo! Dean loves this plant!" He insisted. "If two people stand underneath then they must kiss!" Cas looked to Dean to try find confirmation in this statement but he was staring at his brother like he wanted to kill him. He knew this wasn't the case because Dean loved Sam so he concluded he was just confusing human emotions again, he people skills were still not the best.

"And this is customary?" He asked Sam who was biting his lip to pieces trying not to laugh.

"Well, you don't have to if you don't celebrate Christmas, Sam is just taking things a bit literal."

"But you said I could celebrate the Christ Mass with you, are you withdrawing your invitation?" He asked, staring into dean's eyes and trying to understand why he wasn't allowed to celebrate with them anymore. Had he done something wrong?

"No, Cas! Of course not!" Dean spluttered. "It's just that it isn't common for two men to do it—"

"But I am an Angel." Dean knew he was not human, why was he talking about Jimmy's vessel that way? Him and Jimmy were very different, he would not be kissing Jimmy but him.

"Dean! Now you're hurting his feelings!" Sam exclaimed. Dean's face twisted in annoyance.

"Dean! Don't hurt your Angel's feelings!" Bobby yelled from somewhere.

"Come on Dean, just lay one on him!" Sam joked, staring manically at him.

"Erg!" He screeched in frustration. "FINE!" Dean grabbed Castiel's face with his hands and leaned forwards pressing their lips together in a closed –lipped embrace. He held it for a few seconds and Cas leaned in closer, Dean's lips were very soft. Without warning Dean was pulling away as he heard the sound of a camera click and Bobby laughing, him and Sam leaning against each other for support. "Fuck you, guys! I'm getting another beer!" He yelled before storming off into the kitchen.

Castiel touched his fingers to his lips, they were all tingly. "I like this tradition, is there anymore like this?" He smiled and turned to Sam and Bobby, but they weren't standing there anymore, they had collapsed to the floor in hysterics laughing as they managed to force out they had found the winning Christmas card that they could use for the next ten years.


End file.
